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Frank Roland Mills (1885-1940)
Frank was born in Goodwood, South Australia, the youngest of his parents 9 children. His father was a blacksmith and coach builder. His siblings were George, Charles, Arthur, Frederick, Alfred, Lillian, Milton, Ada, and then Frank. Frank spent most of his young life in the suburb of Norwood, where his parents had purchased a property on Clark Street. From a young age, he became a grocers assistant, and eventually became a grocer himself. Out of Wedlock In 1903, a girl named Cissy Cornelia Mills (1886-1961) (age 17 - no relation) had a daughter out of wedlock. The daughter was named Mahala. The birth of the child out of wedlock appears to have caused some scandal at the time and a 'Thomas Mills' was not recorded on her birth certificate as father, even though Cissy was not married to such a man and he cannot be located in any records at this point in time. It is likely that the information on the birth certificate was fabricated to make the birth appear more respectable. Cissy and Frank would eventually marry and Frank's name would appear on every other official record pertaining to Mahala's life after that time as her father, even though this may not be the case. Because Cissy always referred to Frank as her father, his family line has been traced in this famiy history, even though a direct connection is unlikely. The real identity of Mahala's father is unlikely ever to be known. Marriage Frank and Cissy Cornelia Mills (1886-1961) eventually married on September 20th 1906. The marriage occurred at Frank's father's house at Clark Street in Norwood, and Frank gave his residence as Clark Street, Norwood. Witnesses to the marriage were A.H. Stone, a labourer from Hindmarsh, and Frank's brother Milton, a civil servant of Norwood. Cissy was four months pregnant with their second child at the time of the marriage. Frank and Cissy would go on to have 10 children altogether, all born in the Norwood or Adelaide area. Interestingly, they would give all but one of their children two middle names, many of them reflecting family names. Family surnames used as middle names include Munson, DeLaine, and Morris. Names obtained from other relatives include Mahala, Roland, Howard, Herbert, Charles, Frank and Caroline. Two sons died under the age of two - Hedley of Tubercular Meningitis and Charles of acute gastoenteritis. The deaths were also recorded in The Advertiser and The Chronicle newspapers. Both boys were buried in the West Terrace Cemetery. Residence The South Australian directories list Frank's residence at 19 Clark Street, Norwood between 1908 and 1913. On the death certificate for Hedley in 1917, Frank's residence is recorded as Sydenham Road, Norwood. On the death certificate for Charles in 1919, Frank's residence is recorded as Margaret Street, Norwood. Frank's occupation is also recorded as a purser. The residence at Margaret Street is supported by the South Australian directories, but it stills records his occuption as grocer. Frank’s grocer’s store was on the Parade at Norwood. In 1923, he was working at Cairns St, Norwood, while his residence was at 19 Clark St Norwood (his mother lived at number 35 according to Hedley's funeral notice). He was still at Cairns Street until 1926, when he is recorded at the Parade. In 1927, Frank is back at Margaret Street in Norwood and his occupation is recorded as labourer. In 1929, he is a labourer at Cowper Road, Black Forest Estate and in 1930, he is a civil servant at Hastings Road, Colonel Light Gardens. By 1933 he has returned to being a grocer's assistant, but still at the Hastins Road address. By 1937, Frank had moved to 28 Kitchener Street, Victoria Park. Later Years Frank died on 20th October 1940 of cerebral softening and arteriosclerosis. His residence at the time was 28 Kitchener Avenue, Dulwich. His death certificate incorrectly states that he had 4 male and 3 female children alive, when it was the opposite way around. He is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery. Children |- |colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |'Children of Frank and Cissy Mills' References *Information from Ken Mills *Information from Jane Harding *Births, Deaths and Marriages registrations for South Australia *The Chronicle newspaper, 3rd November 1917 & 18th January 1919 *The Advertiser newspaper, 26th October 1917 *Cemetery records for South Australia *South Australian directories, 1908-1940 Category:Born in Goodwood, South Australia Category:Married in 1906 Category:Married in Norwood, South Australia Category:Died in Dulwich, South Australia Category:Non-SMW people articles